SRINAGAR, May 15 (KNS): Apni Party General Secretary Rafi Ahmad Mir on Saturday urged the UT administration to open the alternative seasonal Mughal Road which connects Kashmir to the Pir Panjal region.

Issuing a statement to Kashmir News Service (KNS), Mir said that the dilapidated condition of the Jammu-Srinagar highway creates great inconvenience to the travellers and even incurs immense losses to the business sector.

Pertinently, Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari in a conversation with the Lt. Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, has apprised him about the ground situation in regards with the Covid-19 pandemic and expressed the dire need for opening the Mughal Road.

“The Mughal Road is a natural alternative route that connects the valley with Pir Panjal. Furthermore, it enables the nomadic Gujjar tribes to travel to the valley along with their livestock, a practice that has been going on for centuries. The representatives of such nomadic communities have also expressed the requite need for throwing this route for the general public,” Mir observed.

Rafi Mir said that as Apni Party has from time to time raised the demand of opening the Mughal road for the general public, the Hon’ble Lt. Governor should reciprocate with the demand of the people especially when the region of J&K is grappling with a vicious contagion.

“In view of the persistent dilapidated condition of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, the Mughal Road connectivity between Kashmir and Pir Panjal region remains imperative to be opened up to the people without any disparity,” he said.

He said that the Party hopes that this request will be acquiesced by the government, as even the Lt. Governor has assured the Party President that a positive consideration will be accorded to this genuine demand and will be soon discoursed in accordance with the requisite procedural norms.(KNS)